Yoga For People Helps Celebrate International Moms!

The world got a little bit smaller on Saturday, May 11 when a group of women from all over the world joined up for a Mother’s Day celebration. These women and their families, who now live in Utah, came together at Sugar House Park; their best cultural dish in tow. The wonderful aroma of these dishes, along with bright smiles from under colorful scarves, made one feel like a part of some sort of Utopia.
Yoga for People volunteer and board member Amanda Jones teamed up with the group organizing the event, a non-profit called Women of the World who empowers refugees and their families, to provide free yoga for the families. Children scamped up to the front; beginning to advanced yogis filled in the middle; and women in head-to-toe costume shied away, nervous about their restrictive attire. No worries, though; the movements accommodated even the most tightly wrapped sarong. And as the casual yoga ensued, even the mustachioed men took up the back row to giggle and move with the rest of ’em.
After the stretches and even some silliness, some women were ecstatic to tell us about how they felt.
Said one vivacious soul: “I feel…my chest…it is open. I can breathe!”

Just horsin’ around -Photo by Ruth Arevalo

Another, who was a teacher of 5 languages in Tibet and now cleans hotel rooms, said she had never done yoga and would like to continue.
And the little ones in front – two sisters (pictured) – said their dad should do yoga because he just graduated from college and their mom could use yoga because she worked two jobs and is pregnant.
The collective feeling was that these women would love to continue to explore yoga, because they enjoyed how it loosened up their lungs, bodies and mind. Yoga for People would be honored to continue working with this adventurous group, so keep us in mind for the next event!